Glance
by Arcana Mundi
Summary: Light hadn’t taken a lick of his green ice cream cone since he bought it. Now, the sticky, saccharine liquid was dribbling all over his fingers. At the scent of sugar, L’s eyes were dripping with lust.“Yagami kun, would you mind if I help you with that?”
1. Sakura

_Author's blah blah blah:_

_This story is a little conconction made from procrastination and boredom. It'll get more, erm, interesting later on, so I may have to up the rating. I love the LightxL pairing to death for the deliciousness of love/hate, so that's what I'll try to focus on._

_Flames are welcome, and will be used to bake Ryuk apple pie._

* * *

1. **_Sakura_**

_Sakura: Cherry blossoms, an emblem of ephemeral beauty. They bloom for one week in the spring._

It all began with a glance.

It was May, and the sakura trees were blooming. The light of early summer filtered through the windows of the examination hall, where row after row of anxious teenagers sat for their To-Oh University entrance exams. The only sounds were the scratching of pencils on paper, and the ringing of the hourly bell.

An auburn-haired man in the third row turned over his Law exam with a sigh. He sunk his head into his palm, and began to doze off. Light Yagami, Japan's top student, was bored as hell.

"You there!" the examiner's voice called out.

"Mmm?" Light replied, poking one eye open.

The examiner passed him by. Light narrowed his eyes in annoyance. After all, he was the only person in this room worthy of anyone's attention. Everyone else was just backdrop. That's the way they had been his whole life.

"_Sit properly, _number 162! Are you trying to bring the venerable institution of To-Oh to shame?"

Light yawned, and flipped his paper over again. Was some idiot worthy of his time? Should he take a glance? Might as well. There was nothing better to do.

Pale toes twiddled, and black eyes opened wide as pools. Four rows behind Light, a thin man was hunched in fetal position over his chair, black hair askew, his pencil dangling awkwardly from his long fingers. He was staring at Light, as if a gaze that could pierce through a man's skull.

Light Yagami was never afraid to pass judgement on strangers. After all, it was his role to cleanse the world of the corruption that sickened it, and create a new world to his own design. For a god such as himself, hasty judgment was reasonable.

Black eyes swam hazily in Light's vision: he hated that strange man at first sight.

* * *

_Just a little taste first :P. To be continued._


	2. Kabuki

_Author's ramble:_

_For canon mavens, the setting is Light and L's university days. Light is already part of the Kira taskforce, and Misa, um, is nowhere to be found (she might pop up later, wait and see.) _

* * *

2. **_Kabuki_**

_Kabuki: The art of song and dance. A style of theatre, and a means of deception._

"So this means we're friends, right?"

Light clasped the white, sinewy fingers of the man before him, staring defiantly beneath a mop of tangled hair.

It was summer, and the ground of the tennis courts was burning in the sunlight. Light had no idea how L could wear those same jeans to every one of their tennis matches without suffering from heat stroke, but there he was, not a drop of sweat on his skin.

"If Yagami-kun wishes to be my friend, he may be so," L said in his nonchalant tone. "Isn't that how friendship works?"

"L, Ryuga, Ryuzaki… With that many names, it must be difficult to keep many friends," Light replied.

He laughed, as he wondered whether L's expression would be so defiant while he was slowly strangled with a telephone wire.

"You're a great detective, so I suppose you've learned not to trust anyone. I don't understand how you could find _any_ friends, with the life you have."

"I admit, my experience in that department is very limited," L said. "Tell me, what do friends do together?"

Light could barely suppress a snort. How fucked up were the people that raised this kid? Light would have to find a way of killing this man that was more appropriately twisted.

"Friends spend time with each other," Light explained kindly. "They meet each other to chat, go for walks, see a movie together… whatever you feel like, really."

"I will follow you anywhere today, Yagami-kun. I wish to spend more time with you. Where do you suggest we go?"

Light knew damn well this was only a ploy to see how far Kira would go, how much he craved to prove his innocence. If Light Yagami, the most popular undergraduate at To-Oh, juggling five girlfriends and four hundred and twenty close admirers, would be willing to spend the afternoon with Ryuga Hideki, the iconoclastic loner, he was desperate indeed.

Nonetheless, Light had an encyclopedic understanding of human psychology, having found the subject useful from an early age. All humans crave companionship, no matter how reclusive or independent they appear to be. If only Light could make L believe he was his friend, he would come one step closer to gaining his trust. And once Light had gained his trust, Light would find a way to L's true name. Only then would he use one of the delicious methods of murder he had dreamed up, for the delight of Ryuzaki dying before him, pleading for mercy which he wouldn't receive.

L's thumb was stuck in his mouth as he waited for Light's reply.

"Have you ever been to Aoyama, Ryuzaki?" Light said, grinning at him benevolently. "It's a popular place for young people like us. There's a beautiful cemetery there, which would be lovely for a stroll at this time of year. There are shops there, too."

To make the conversation bearable, Light couldn't resist slipping in a subtle insult.

"But judging from your clothes, I doubt you enjoy shopping very much."

"If Yagami-kun wishes to go to Aoyama, I will follow him," L replied. "Do they have ice cream there?"

It struck Light how appropriate it would be for L to die by asphyxiation on sugar cubes.

"Of course, we'll get you some," Light laughed, placing his hand on the anemic detective's shoulder. "Let's go."

True to Light's words, it was a beautiful afternoon in Aoyama. The streets were full of teenagers and young adults in the latest fashions, laughing and chattering away on cell phones, or sipping tea in sidewalk cafés. The sky was blue, and a gentle breeze kept the summer heat at bay.

"What do you think, Ryuzaki?"

Inside the shop windows, lacy black and white clothes were fastened on mannequins with enormous ribbons. Each dress was topped with a white bonnet. L's eyes widened with genuine curiosity.

"I was not aware that Light-kun's taste in clothes was so unconventional," L murmured, placing a thumb on his lips. "I hadn't imagined Light-kun in a bonnet before today."

Light ground his nails into his palm, as images of L being burnt, throttled, and hung from a suspension bridge came flooding into his head.

"Ne, Light-kun? Wouldn't you look nice?"

"I didn't intend to look at them for myself. They are works of art, and I can appreciate them."

"Are you taking offence, Light-kun?"

Kira hates being insulted, after all. As if Light Yagami would fall for such a simple trick.

"Have a look at these, Ryuzaki," Light said, dragging L away from the dress shop. They were standing in front of a little store with red curtains, whose windows were full of masks, fans, and other antique theatre accessories.

"I've always admired Noh masks," L mumbled. "Fascinating, Light-kun."

In the centre of the display was an elaborate mask of an _oni_, its painted mouth and eyes contorted into an expression of loathing.

"The workmanship, the carving, the painting, the care… These are true works of art," L said, his eyes fixed on the oni mask. "The expression of each is so studied, and the emotion communicated is so believable. The craftsman that made these worked for many years to perfect them."

A light breeze played with the hair on the detective's cheek. There must be some other way to gain his trust, Light thought, as he stared at that hair that grew like a repulsive black plant.

"And in the end, they're all for a theatre piece…" L turned to face Light, his eyes locked on the other man's with frightening intensity. "It's strange that a man will go so far to hide his true face. Ne, Light-kun?"

Light's eyes narrowed. "I know what you're implying, Ryuzaki. You believe I am Kira, and that my desire for your friendship is merely an act to gain your trust, so I may learn your name and kill you. Isn't that what you're thinking?"

"Correct."

"Ryuzaki, you should know that friendship doesn't work that way."

A pathetically corny act, Light was aware. But this was a gamble he was willing to take.

"Ryuzaki, _please_!" he emphatically continued. "I'm not Kira, and I can't do anything to change that. I only want to be your friend. I do in fact care for you. Just give me a chance to show you!"

L's eyes widened at the thought.

"You care for me?"

For a moment, Light was unable to speak. Was this going too far? L's question was neither forced nor sarcastic, but spoken with startling interest.

"Yes, Ryuzaki."

Light felt as if he would be sick at the thought, but calmly continued his theatrics.

"You see, I've never met someone on the same level as me, with the same intelligence and depth of perception. Conversations with other people bore me half to death. When I speak to you, it makes me feel alive. You are a fascinating person, Ryuzaki, and I admire you greatly."

"Greatly enough to fetch me some ice cream?" L poked his thumb between his lips, and began to suck on it innocently.

_I swear, Ryuzaki, I really will kill you some day_.

"Of course! There's a stand just across the road. Do you like green tea flavouring?"

"It's my favourite," L replied, with the first real grin on his face Light had ever seen.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Interesting tidbits:_

_Noh - A traditional Japanese style of theatre, with masks, music, and elaborate costumes._

_Oni - demons/ogres/trolls of Japanese folklore. Think of those wild, angry faces with the big teeth. _

_I hope you liked it. Things heat up in the next chapter XD. _


	3. Ice Cream

_Thanks so much for the reviews! I wasn't expecting so many already, and they're very encouraging—keep them coming, folks! You make me a happy writer :D._

_Oh yes, and this should go without saying—this story is YAOI, aka malexmale, so don't read if you don't like it. (If you don't like yaoi, what the blazes are you doing reading Death Note fanfiction anyway?)_

_Anyway, on with the fun!_

* * *

3. **_Ice Cream_**

_Ice Cream: A delicious confection. Prone to melting, handle with care._

The Aoyama Cemetery, established in 1874, is the largest public cemetery in Japan. In the spring, thousands of people flock to the gardens to picnic under the sakura trees, enjoying peace and relaxation between the gravestones.

This being a summer evening, the cemetery was unusually quiet as Light and L strolled among the rows and rows of graves. Light could barely suppress a grin as he contemplated his fortune. With the power of the Death Note, he could fill far more graves than Aoyama could ever hold, all in the name of justice. If only, _if only _L could be killed, the world would know a greater age than had ever existed before. And that time would have to come soon.

For all his studied calmness, Light Yagami was a supremely impatient individual. He wanted his new world _now_, not tomorrow, and certainly not in several years. He put his intelligence to work: some immediate, drastic method was needed to eliminate his enemy once and for all. Surely, he couldn't risk murdering him out in the open like this, though nobody would be there to see them; he would leave too much evidence, and he suspected L was much stronger that his thin frame suggested. No, that would not do… But there _was_ another way…

"It's a nice evening, ne, Ryuzaki?" Light said, as he sat down on a wall by a tombstone to rest. L kicked off his shoes, and perched himself on the wall beside Light. There was a fresh wind in the air, which managed to waft away the smell of sugar emanating from their ice cream cones.

"Hai."

Light Yagami hated sugar almost as much as he hated the young detective, balanced in his bizarre way on the wall beside him. Sugar clouded Light's judgment; its energy burst never lasted long.

"Do you have time to get out like this often? " Light asked.

L was too enraptured by his ice cream to reply. His tongue flicked over the green goo, as the melting cream trickled down his lips.

Light sighed.

"I suppose not—you're cautious about keeping your identity a secret."

L ignored him, and continued wolfing down his ice cream cone.

"I couldn't imagine living like you… I pity you, in a way…" Light murmured.

The summer heat was settling over the cemetery like a pool. L's shirt, Light noticed, was clinging to his back in the humid air. He was almost frighteningly thin, Light thought— almost delicate. All the more enticing to break.

"How do you pity me, Light-kun?"

L set his black eyes on Light, studying his suspect's face as he nibbled on the bottom of his ice cream cone.

Light fixed his own eyes in their widest, innocent-schoolboy position, as he returned L's gaze.

"You must be terribly lonely, with the life you lead."

"I have Watari," L mumbled, licking his fingers.

"But—don't you think—haven't you ever felt—that you need something more than that? Someone your age, a companion, who can understand you, make you feel happy, so you won't be alone anymore—"

L broke Light's gaze, burying his chin in his knees. He continued to suck on his fingers sadly.

"I apologize," Light said. "Perhaps I was too forward."

A moment passed in silence, and the sun sunk lower in the sky. The trees and tombstones began to glow red in the evening light.

"Mmm… that was delicious." L looked up at the sky, savouring the last remnants of sweetness with bliss.

Light hadn't taken a lick of his green ice cream since he bought it. The sight of L molesting his ice cream cone had made Light even more repulsed by the treat than he was before. In the heat of the evening, it had melted, and the sticky, saccharine liquid was dribbling all over his fingers.

Without warning, L turned to face Light. At the scent of sugar, L's eyes were dripping with lust.

"Yagami-kun, would you mind if I help you with that?"

Light couldn't resist a smirk.

"Be my guest, Ryuzaki-kun."

L's pink tongue flicked over Light's fingers, lapping up every drop of sweetness he could find. As much as Light felt like he was being mauled on by a dog, he couldn't deny he took some sort of superior pleasure in it.

"Don't stop," Light murmured, as L licked his lips in satisfaction.

L's eyes widened naively. "What do you mean?"

"I enjoy it. You may continue, if you wish."

"But I am finished, Yagami-kun."

"Ryuzaki…" Light purred, brushing his hand over the arm of his enemy's thin cotton shirt. "There are many ways for a friend to demonstrate their affection."

"Like what?"

The detective's innocent act was almost revolting. Light brushed his hand over L's arm, and laid it to rest at the nape of his neck.

_If only I could strange him right now,_ Light thought. _That would save a lot of trouble_.

Grasping L's shirt collar, Light pushed the dark-haired man to the tombstone. He gently lowered his face to L's, until Light could smell the coffee and sugar in his unruly hair.

"_Like this_," Light whispered, and shut his eyes, closing his lips softly over his dumbstruck rival's mouth.

It wasn't quite as disgusting as he thought it would be, Light inwardly grimaced, as he buried his hands in L's hair. The sugar consumption of that mad detective managed to mask the less savoury effects that sweet foods had on the taste of saliva.

Light inclined L's mouth to the side, and drew him into a deeper kiss. It was comical, but his mouth tasted almost as sweet as his abandoned ice cream cone.

Pausing for breath, Light stole a glance at his enemy's face. L's eyes were wide in disbelief—could he really have never been kissed before? _Ha!_ Ryuk would say._ Detectives are a riot!_

Without warning, L's frozen form jerked back to life. His elbow collided with Light's face, sending his stunned suspect reeling into the grass.

L wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his shirt, leaving a green sugary stain on the white fabric. As he gathered his thoughts, he rolled his eyes over Light's form, still sprawled on the ground before him.

"That was a bold move, Yagami-kun," L muttered bluntly, his eyes boring into Light's skull. "Under suspicion as you now are, I admit I was expecting you to let me lick your fingers. But only Kira would be so desperate as to kiss me."

"Ryuzaki, you can't mean—" Light moaned in desperation, trying to salvage the situation with a convincing plea. _No—it couldn't be—had L been **planning** this? That sick bastard!_

Light's fingers twitched, as he fought their desire to murder L that very moment.

"Indeed. My suspicion has risen to ten percent."

With that, L stood up, sticking his bare feet unceremoniously into his shoes.

"I have arranged to be picked up by Watari tonight," he said, turning his back to Light. "See you in class, Yagami-kun."

The sun was almost completely set now. Light lay on the grass, immobile, stunned by his own defeat. It was a sensation Light Yagami hated more than anything.

Without another word, L disappeared along the pathway and into the growing darkness.

Light stood up, brushing the grass from his shirt. He remained silent, until the last sounds of footsteps had faded away. Suddenly, Light let out a terrible scream.

"_Damn you, damn you, Ryuzaki_—" he hissed, his voice hoarse, as he kicked the stone wall repeatedly.

"_Hyuk, hyuk, hyuk_…"

Light spun around.

"Ryuk! No—you weren't watching—!"

The black Shinigami had fallen from his perch in a tree, and was rolling on the ground in laughter.

"_Hyuk, hyuk, hyuk_—detectives _are_ a riot! You've been _owned, _Light! _Hyuk, hyuk, hyuk_!"

* * *

_To be continued… hahaha, I'm a demon!_


End file.
